

Before we could create a new online shopping platform, we had to take a deep dive into understanding the online shopping landscape, the buying habits of today’s online shoppers, and the motives behind online shopping as we know it today. We uncovered a wide range of online shopping behaviors, that age was not the only key definer of online shoppers, and that the current only shopping landscape lacks the ability to create an adequate shopping environment for most online shoppers. In fact, most existing e-commerce sites offer a similar platform, shopping process, and overall experience. Over time, online shoppers have adapted, but many have simply settled.
When you begin to understand the current landscape of online shopping, grasp the hurdles most shoppers are facing, and are enlightened with the opportunities, the road to a new way to shop online begins to form. To help illustrate this journey, co-founder Christine Meier developed a narrative inspired by The Wizard of Oz, placing the online shopper at the heart of the story and embracing the characters and movie landscape. This concept became the foundation of our platform, guiding the creation of a new kind of shopping experience our own yellow brick road.
It is important to note that when the ability to shop online first emerged, it was often treated as an afterthought by major retailers, with little consideration given to the user experience. While current e-commerce sites focus on the transaction, we put the shopper in focus and built a new platform that takes online shopping to a new level.

Online shopping often feels like the whirlwind of a tornado with an abundance of popup ads, unplanned re-directed links, and a feeling of being out of control. The overwhelming feeling many get while shopping online is a symptom of a problem that has long been building as the internet fills with more products, information, and now AI steps in to add more confusion to the process.

It does not appear that the online shopper is at the center of the experience. E-commerce sites were build for the transaction and not the experience, nor are they flexible to meet the needs of different online shopper profiles or online shopping needs which vary from visit to visit depending on the shopper's knowledge, experience, and budget. We found many different shopper profiles.

Our Online Shopper Survey is a great tool to learn as much as we can about the various online shopper habits, needs, and desires. To find out your personal shopper profile, click to take the survey below. If you want to find out more about our survey results, discuss how you can adapt to better serve the online shopper, or want to take a deeper dive, start the conversation now.

Online shopping can feel a tornado, with the unleashing a whirlwind of countless results, endless information, and lack of control with the click of a button. Online shoppers are tossed in every direction, overwhelmed, and confused. They must then find a way to navigate themselves out of the mess trying to figure out where to start and where to next.

Dorothy's unplanned landing on the Wicked Witch of the East, exposes the underbelly of the e-commerce world filled with bad players, scammers, and advantage takers who are focused on bettering themselves regardless of the trouble it causes for others. Not all players are bad, but it is hard to tell the good from the bad when you don't meet face to face.

While attempting to navigate the whirlwind of the internet while online shopping, we are then hit with an abundance of pop-up ads, tracking tags, and endless follow-up messages best described as 'flying monkeys.' While advertising has its role in the market, it becomes a nuisance when it clutters our space like uninvited guests.

Oscar or Oz as most of us know him, represents the power and wizardry of the search engine. We have come to rely on the all-powerful and all-knowing search for our shopping needs. Technology has taken the lead telling us where we need to go and not allowing us to use our own instinct to make our buying decisions and navigation.

While the yellow brick road sets a new gold standard for online shopping, the ruby red slippers represent a new standard in online products and services. We call it a red standard representing quality, value and trustworthiness. The internet should never be a place to trick, bait & switch or dishonesty and it is now time to set a new benchmark.

Munchkin Land represents the innovative spirit of those who love to invent, create, and manufacture products for others. From the garage to the garden and from the cottage to the warehouse, it takes a village of brands, makers and creators working together to meet the needs of the land, offering options and provide alternative choices to make many happy munchkins.

Oz is very much like the world of social media that is not rooted in reality presented. Magical, yet lacking in reality, peddling poor products, building fake relationships, and using influence to gain sales and followers that is not reciprocal. Social media does have the benefit of reaching new customers, launching products, and creating community.

The yellow brick road leads to a new way to shop online we call e-shopping. To facilitate a new and magical way to shop we designed and developed a new patent-pending platform that sets a new gold standard in transparency, trust, and entertainment, and where ideas, inspiration and innovation are overflowing and shoppers can shop.
Online retail began as an extension of brick-and-mortar stores, offering a new revenue channel and a way to reach new customers and drive sales. However, the landscape has dramatically shifted far beyond what retail experts could foresee. Retailers that were once mainstays in the market, that put very little focus on the online market have now closed their physical doors to focus exclusively on their digital presence, while others have skillfully adapted, maintaining a balance between the tangible and the virtual. Those who did not adapt quick enough have found themselves completely out of the retail marketplace.
When we focus on online shopper, creating an online shopping experience filled with discovery, entertainment, and satisfaction online shopping changes from an e-commerce transaction to an e-shopping experience. In order to focus on the online shopper, we have to understand them better. While no two shoppers are identical, there are patterns and styles that stand out and the characters from the Wizard of Oz help us to point them out. Not only does this analogy allow us to describe the various online shoppers, but it also allowed us to create a survey that allows shoppers to discover their online shopping profiles and that is where the fun begins. Here are the key online shopper profiles we found. While shoppers may embrace different shopping profiles or present a combination of styles, their dominant online shopper profiles is easy to find with a few simple questions.

A modern shopper knows what they want and is not afraid to work hard to get it. This online shopper profile is best described as the 'Social Shopper.' Shopping with friends and love to share the good news about what she found Definitely trendy, always enjoys shopping even when it is necessary, and willing to help others find what they need.

Shoppers that know what they want, this online shopper is best described as the 'Loyal Shopper.' On a mission and never wavering with a strong desire to buy without delay. Zeroing in on what they want, this shopper will ignore everything else around them. They are the first to find the latest Smart gadget, stylish bowl, or indestructible dog toy.

This shopper leads with their brain, heading straight for the search bar to learn everything they can before making a purchase, sometimes researching for days. Best be described as the 'Research Shopper' we all tend to shop this way when making major purchases, doing enough research to help them make the right decision without buyer's remorse.

A heartfelt shopper, making buying decisions with emotion and relying on others to help guide the way. Often described as an 'Emotional Shopper.' They love an expert that tells them what to do. Swayed to buy based on how they feel, they love to make people's day with the perfect gift and tend to buy things they don't need or even want in the moment.

Confident in life, but not when shopping, often described as the 'Self-Doubting Shopper.' Often hesitating before making a buying decision without an authoritative figure, relying on validation or instructions from trusted sources helps in combatting the fear of being misled or facing the unpredictability of their choices. Fixing buyer's remorse before they buy.

This 'Seasoned Shopper' comes across as confident, knowing exactly what they want, and buying everything need. They don’t worry about cost and do not spare any expense. This shopper looks at shopping as a hobby and often shops for the enjoyment and stress reliever aspects. They are even willing to allow others to shop for them, quick with the credit card.

For some shoppers, the act of shopping can be a nightmare, unnecessary, or a sheer necessity. Minimalists, shoppers who need nothing, or those who truly hate to shop fall into this 'Minimalist Profile.' They often allow others to shop for them. When the do shop they prefer a no-fuss experience that is simple and allows the ‘to do’ list to be checked.

Budget leads this 'Traditional Shopper,' to buy out of necessity. Groceries, school supplies, or replacement part fall into this shopping profile. They do enjoy filling the cart with wish items, browsing, and checking out the latest gadgets, but they don't often execute the purchase unless they save up, have room on their card, or have the option to pay later.
Shoppers often embody a mix of these archetypes, with their dominant shopping type coming into focus often. Expensive purchases tend to bring out the 'Scarecrow' everyone us, while significant events like weddings might summon our inner 'Glinda the Good Witch,' ready to splurge without hesitation. While some individuals maintain a consistent shopping style, many adapt their habits based on specific requirements or influence of someone else. Unlike most e-commerce websites that require their shoppers to 'click the heels' of their 'ruby slippers,' to magically find out precisely what they need, or a 'Toto' style shopping environment, there is a need for an online shopping destination that supports all of these shopping styles, transitioning from a transaction to an experience that even the 'Theda' shopper will enjoy.
The TUG Team

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